1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to providing content of interest to a user. The present invention further relates to recommending web pages to a user of the World Wide Web based upon the currently viewed web page.
2. Description of Related Art
The World Wide Web is a collection of millions of linked web sites, electronic documents and files that are stored on computers throughout the world. The World Wide Web includes Web sites that literally relate to millions of different subjects, which may or may not be of interest to a person who is surfing the web.
A user typically employs a browser to access Web sites that are of interest to the user. The user can learn of Web sites of interest by either learning of the site through friends or through the media. Another way to learn of Web sites is to use a search engine to search the Web. The user typically types key words into a search engine Web page. The search engine then returns a list of one or more Web sites that relate to the keywords. This can be confusing for novice users who are unfamiliar with computers and the Web. Moreover, the use of search engines can also be frustrating for experienced users as the search engines may sometimes turn up sites that are unrelated to the keywords. Even worse, the search engines may sometimes inadvertently turn up sites that are of an objectionable nature to a particular user.
It would be desirable for a program or an online service to automatically assist a user with browsing to Web sites that are particularly tailored to the user's interests. This would allow novice user to quickly become accustomed to using the Web in a relatively easy manner. Such a program or service would also provide experienced users with a more fulfilling online experience.
Several attempts have been made at providing users with automated browsing assistance. In a system called “Ringo” developed at the MIT Media-Lab in the mid-1990s, personalized recommendations were made to a user based upon similarities between the interest profile of that user and the interest profiles of other users. Ringo was designed for making recommendations of music albums and artists, though it applied to Web browsing. In Ringo, he user profiles were developed by having the user rate content.
Other browsing aids, such as the eTour service of eTour, Inc., also depended on the development of user profiles. The quality of profile-based services depends on the extent and accuracy of each user's profile. Thus, in some services, a considerable number of users, providing considerable amount of ratings, are required before they become useful. Furthermore, profile-based services cannot easily account for changing tastes of the users. Finally, profile-based services face a considerable obstacle in that, before a user can see the benefits of the service, the user must register and provide a profile. Many users prefer to browse anonymously, and studies have shown that users have relatively short attention spans.
Prior art content location aids are typically server-based. For example, the eTour service requires the user to register with their server, and the user must visit the eTour site each time a user wishes to activate the service during a session. Other server-based aids have been provided in web sites which allow users to make purchases from an on-line catalog. For example, in some web sites, when a user identifies a particular item in the catalog of interest, then the server, when dynamically creating a web for the user, may identify other products in the catalogue which may be of interest to the user. Such server-based aids are limited, in that they only work with a single on-line catalogue, and require that the user remain in contact with the server. These server-based aids can be slow, both because of the demands placed upon the server, and the need to make repeated data transfers over the telecommunications infrastructure.